Vegan Sour Cream
This vegan sour cream recipe is the best! This creamy dairy-free sauce can also replace goat cheese, ricotta and mozzarella. It's easy to make, too.
Updated by Kathryne Taylor on September 5, 2024
It’s about time I shared my vegan sour cream on the blog. I developed this recipe for my cookbook as a dairy-free sour cream substitute. I ended up using it to replace a variety of other dairy-based ingredients: goat cheese, ricotta, even mozzarella and cheddar cheese.
As a dairy eater myself, I was both surprised and pleased to find a non-dairy substitute that I enjoy so much. It’s creamy, rich, and tangy, just like regular sour cream.
In the book, I offered vegan and dairy-free options whenever possible, and this vegan sour cream came in quite useful. I used it to replace the dairy-rich layers in lasagna (page 163), and we mixed it into the enchilada filling for a creamy element (page 148).
It’s a great substitute for the goat cheese in the quinoa-stuffed sweet potatoes recipe (page 144), and it easily replaced the cheese in my beans and greens quesadillas (page 147). I love the regular and dairy-free versions of those recipes!
Watch How to Make Vegan Sour Cream
Vegan Sour Cream Tips
This dairy-free sauce is made with rich and creamy raw cashews, water, tangy lemon juice and apple cider vinegar, salt, and a dab of Dijon mustard for additional complexity and intrigue.
This sour cream is easy to make in a blender. If you have a Vitamix (affiliate link) or Blendtec, or another blender of equal power, you don’t necessarily need to soak the cashews before blending. If you don’t, you will want to soak the cashews for about four hours before using.
Depending on the application, you might want to use this vegan sour cream differently than the ingredient you’re replacing. Since it’s water-based, it will dry out a bit during baking.
For example, if you want to use it in place of mozzarella on a pizza, you might be better off baking the pizza without it, then drizzling it generously on top once it’s out of the oven.
Or, you might want to incorporate some in the dish (like inside enchiladas) and then add an extra dollop once it’s done baking.
This sour cream will thicken up as it chills in the refrigerator. If you’d like a thinner consistency, simply whisk in a small splash of water.
Uses for Vegan Sour Cream
- Regular dairy-based sour cream or crema
- Goat cheese
- Ricotta
- Mozzarella on pizza (drizzle this on top instead)
- Cheddar or Jack cheese in quesadillas
- Cotija or feta on tacos, nachos or tostadas
- Any other instance in which you crave some creamy texture and rich flavor!
I hope this recipe becomes a staple in your repertoire, whether you’re dairy-free yourself, serving dairy-free guests, or simply looking to reduce the amount of dairy in your diet. Please let me know how this recipe turns out for you in the comments!
If you haven’t gotten a copy of my cookbook, Love Real Food, I wholeheartedly recommend it, along with over 475 five-star reviewers on Amazon. Your feedback really means the world to me. ♥
Vegan Sour Cream
This vegan sour cream recipe is the best! This creamy dairy-free sauce can also replace goat cheese, ricotta and even mozzarella. It’s easy to make, too. Recipe yields about 1 cup.
Ingredients
- 1 cup raw cashews, soaked for at least 4 hours if you do not have a high-powered blender*
- ½ cup water
- 1 tablespoon lemon juice, or more if needed
- 1 teaspoon apple cider vinegar
- Heaping ¼ teaspoon fine sea salt
- ¼ teaspoon Dijon mustard
Instructions
- If you soaked your cashews, drain and rinse them until the water runs clear.
- In a blender, combine the cashews, water, lemon juice, vinegar, salt, and mustard. Blend until the mixture is smooth and creamy, stopping to scrape down the sides as necessary. If you’re having trouble blending the mixture, or would prefer a thinner consistency, slowly blend in up to ½ cup additional water, as needed.
- Taste and add an additional teaspoon of lemon juice if you would like more tang, or additional salt if a more intense flavor is desired. Serve immediately or chill the sour cream for later.
- Leftovers keep well, chilled, for about 5 days. The sour cream will thicken up a bit more as it rests; you can thin it by whisking in a small amount of water later, if necessary.
Notes
Change it up: Add 1 tablespoon nutritional yeast to give the cashew cream a more cheese-like flavor.
*Vitamix note: If you are using the newer wide-base blender container, you’ll need to double this recipe to gain enough traction.
Nutrition
The information shown is an estimate provided by an online nutrition calculator. It should not be considered a substitute for a professional nutritionist’s advice. See our full nutrition disclosure here.
I have made this recipe several times, and this is hands down the most delicious vegan, whole food plant-based, oil-free, crap free sour cream I have made yet. And it’s easy! I have changed up the recipe, doubled the recipe, done all kinds of stuff with it and it is just delicious every single time. Thank you so much!
You’re welcome, Carolyn! Thanks for your review.
Sour cream was sacred in my home growing up and, since going plant-based, finding a vegan replacement has been tough. The stuff in the tubs at the store is, quite frankly, not worth the cost or the calories. I’ve made cashew chèvre with mixed results and so I wasn’t going to bet the mortgage when I came across this recipe. I am SO glad I put aside my skepticism! I ended up adding a pinch more salt and a squeeze more lemon for more tartness, and I blended until it was as creamy as silk – and it was AHHHHHH-MAZ-ING! Though I would like to figure out what to add/increase to remove more of the cashew flavor, I cannot wait to use this on Twice Baked Potatoes, Nachos, or Chili. Now I’m wondering…can it be used as the top layer of a vegan New York Cheesecake? Must try that one!
We made this using half cashews and half walnuts, but otherwise as written. It turned out fantastic and, surprisingly, ever-so-slightly purple. A hit in our house.
That’s great! Thank you for sharing, Cris.
This is a great recipe! After adjusting to taste we added 1/4 tsp. of melted coconut oil to add the dairy-like creamy taste and help with solidifying in the fridge. Thank you so much for this!
You’re welcome, Christie!
This was so simple to make and tangy creamy and delicious! I think the addition of Dijon mustard is a game changer.
I’m happy you loved it, Beth! Thanks for your review.
Do you think it would be possible to make this with coconut cream? I am allergic to cashews, peanuts and tree nuts but I need a substitute for dairy sour cream. I was thinking the lemon juice and vinegar would help make the coconut cream tangy.
Can this be used as a sour cream substitute in baked goods?
Sure! Or it can be used in some cheese applications. Let me know what you think, Amber.
I just made this is and love it but it did taste sweet almost like lemon custard vs sour cream. The lemon flavor was strong. Is that how it is supposed to taste or am I using too much lemon?
Hi Helen, it sounds like you might have added too much lemon. Did you add dijon and salt?
Thank you! I made it again with a splash of lemon this time and it was perfect. And to Daisy….this isn’t supposed to taste exactly like sour cream, you need dairy for that. This is an alternative that is perfect and does its job.
I made this recipe and I added caramelized onions and facon and my son ate the lot, him and his girlfriend both vegans could get enough, so now I’m experiment with different flavours
Thank you for sharing, Leigh!
I fully appreciate the intention & effort of this post… But this tastes*nothing* like sour cream. I bought all the ingredients & followed the recipe exactly. It just tasted & looked like, bland grainy cashew cream. And I used a $600 MagiMix blender. I suggest you get some impartial friends to test recipes, exactly as you’ve written them & then compare them yourself to ‘the real thing’ before making claims that bold. Posting the recipe as sour cream is just misleading & a really disappointing waste of time
Hi Daisy, I’m sorry you feel that way and are frustrated by this recipe. I know others love this recipe, it may just not be for you.
can i omit djon mustard?
I was wondering the same!
This is so good! I made a 1/2 recipe to try it then loved it so much I doubled it so I could have some last for a week or so. Going vegan has been an easy transition because of recipes like this. I boil my cashews for like 20 minutes to assist in the blending plus it takes away the taste of the cashews, just leaving a creamy texture.
I’m happy this recipe is helping you and you are making more of it! I appreciate your review, Lynn.
Is there anything else I can use in place of dijon mustard? I dont like the taste.
Thanks
The recipe was very good. However, I think I would like to try and make it a little bit more tangier. Then I would also like to try it again and put the suggested nutritional yeast in it and give that a try. Highly recommend making this recipe.
Thanks for your feedback, Maggie!
I seriously use this all the time in my cooking! Thank you so much!! It’s so yummy!
I can’t have cashews, any replacement? cashews gives me terrible cramps. I can have peanuts, almonds, seeds etc.
Any ideas?
Hi Nancy, I’m sorry to hear that! I haven’t tried, but you might have success with sunflower seeds.
Could you freeze this if you don’t plan on using it all within 5 days?
Hey there, I think so but haven’t tried to be sure. Please let me know if you do!
I have tried a bunch of DF sour cream recipes, & this is the one I keep coming back to. Now my go-to! Thank you!!
Will use this recipe a lot – thank you so much! Tasty indeed. I made a vegan stew that needed a layer of texture/flavor and put a dollop of this on top and actually found myself humming. I do not hum while I eat, so that is high praise. Thank you again for sharing this tasty recipe.
I made this this morning, it is delicious. Added the tablespoon of nutritional yeast you recommend in the note section for variation.
Thank you for your comment and review, Trina! I appreciate it. I’m glad you loved it.
Hi Cookie + Kate greetings from the UK I have a recipe for a Blueberry Cake that has vegan sour cream in it. Would you suggest I make this but maybe omit the Dijon mustard? Have you ever used this in a sweet recipe?
Finally… I love your cookbook my plans to have. cookbook 2?
Thanks
Hi Nina, so glad to hear you enjoy my cookbook! I haven’t mustered up the energy to make another cookbook yet (maintaining the blog + writing a cookbook = two full-time jobs), but maybe someday! Yes, I think you’ll be very pleased with your cake if you omit the mustard—good call. :)
Thanks for replying Kate, very much appreciated.
My high school senior daughter has moved to a plant based diet. We bought vegan “sour cream” but I hated paying so much. When I told her I was going to try making some, she was very sceptical. I’ve now made it a second time at her request. I soak the cashews overnight and rinse well since we have an old blender but it comes out very creamy. I haven’t tried adding nutritional yeast but will do so next time since we keep it on hand. Thanks for sharing!
Just made this to use as a side with pierogies. It was a wonderful accompaniment. I did double up on the Dijon; I like zing. Thanks so much for posting this recipe!
Question: does it freeze well?
I’m not sure if this one would freeze well, sorry! I’m happy you enjoyed it, Terri.
Used this (sans mustard) for a Polish Classic called Mizeria. Works surprisingly well
This is better than regular sour cream. Easy to make, too. Many thanks for this recipe. I’ve made it many times now, and don’t recommend any changes.
Hello!
Making this recipe to try and mimick a local vegan restaurant’s sour cream.
I notice your pictures of the recipe are white sour cream…
My sour cream is more beige cashew coloured… how does one get it white ?
Hi Amy! My sour cream usually has a slight color to it. Did you use toasted cashews, by chance? Those would be darker and could impart more color. Otherwise, I’d say maybe try a different bag of cashews.
This is so delicious and easy to make. I have been drizzling it over everything..black beans and rice, quesadillas, roasted potatoes, lentil soup…The list goes on! Thank you!
How long does this lady in the fridge?
Hi there! About 5 days. :)
Hi Kate,
May I know your 1 cup is equivalent to how many milliliters (ml) ? Would love to try.
Thank you!
Hi Annie! Here is a great conversion resource
I loved this! Used on veggie tacos, as a salad dressing, and even gave it to someone who had a spoonful on their pot roast and potatoes. It’s wonderful! Thank you!
Hi, I literally just made this recipe. It thickened up amazingly in my Nutri-Bullet. Not quite the same flavour as original sour cream but nonetheless the best alternative. I’m not vegan but want to eat non-dairy & was looking for substitutes. I added more lemon as I like tang & added more Himalayan salt a pinch at a time. It’s now in the fridge to thicken up. I want to put it on a homemade pizza I plan on making later today. It makes quite a lot as well, so when this batch is finished I will experiment with more added flavours eg. nutritional yeast as per suggestion, perhaps a pinch of cayenne pepper ….hhmmm. Thanks Kate. Corrina from New Zealand :)
I’m a new-ish plant based eater and this really is the most excellent sub for sour cream that I’ve tried so far. Five stars!
Thank you for trying to make a mock sour cream recipe but this does not taste anything like sour cream. I see many 5 stars and I’m confused. Did you guys forget what sour cream tastes like? :( This tastes like cashew cream. I added more lemon and dijon mustard to try to fix it which made it taste like lemon-cashew cream. Like other comments mentioned, there was not enough volume in my Vitamix above the actual blades so I had to keep scraping it off the walls. I hope you can update this recipe in the future. Again, thank you for trying.
Hi Lay, I’m disappointed to hear that you were not satisfied by this recipe. Like I said in the post, it’s one of my most-used recipe components (and I still eat real sour cream). If you’re using a wide-base Vitamix blender container, you’ll need to double the recipe to gain enough traction. I just added a recipe note about that.
Hi Kate,
I cannot eat cashew, almonds or soy alleriges, I am pretty much down to walnuts and hazelnuts. Can these be sustituted without tasting yucky?
Hi there! I’m sorry to disappoint, but I’ve tried this recipe with other options and I didn’t feel like any of them measured up to cashews. Walnuts or hazelnuts would impart a strong flavor, whereas the cashews are more neutral.
this is good. I soak for one hour though, then use my ninja–it’s very creamy. I now also omit the vinegar. Lemon is better for you so I increase this a bit.
LOVE this recipe! I’m telling all my friends!
what other nut could you use? i cannot eat cashews
thanks,
sue
Hi Sue, I don’t have an alternative. Sorry! Cashews help to get this to it’s desired tasted and consistency.
So looking forward to trying this sour cream recipe but would like to know if I can put it in sealed containers for storage in the freezer?
Hi Elizabeth! I haven’t tired freezing it. Let me know if you do!
Another winner! So good, Kate.
This is ridiulously yummm!!! OMG i was blown away by this recipe. I made burrito bowls at home and my husband loves his sour cream on his burrito bowls and he liked this one better than the dairy one! I am so glad I found this. I used roasted cashews cuz thats all i had on hand so i had to add some extra lemon juice and salt. New Sub <3
I’m desperate for a gluten free vegan cheese sauce mix for pasta and a gluten free vegan sour cream for everything but I have an allergy to nuts, can you suggest anything else I could use.
I tried this last night. Soaked my cashews in boiling water for only and hour before I made it, and I think that’s why it took forever to blend smooth. Next time will soak overnight. Also I added about 2x the lemon to get any tang to come through. The Dijon is completely unnecessary or the recipe says to use way too much… Its kinda gross in there. Now I have to figure out how to use this “Dijon with a tang” cream.
Hi Kate,
Last night I tried making your recipe for the vegan sour cream. Unfortunately I do not have one of these fancy mixers (I will most-likely invest in one at some point) so attempted to make it in a food processor. It came out surprisingly well but not nearly as white as your pictures show or as smooth (again I think it was just because I used a food processor). It tasted very nice despite this, so thank you.
Elena
I went to three different stores and unfortunately none had any dairy free sour cream. So I told myself looks like we are going to have to make it. I am a newly vegan and this was my first time make something from scratch and let me just say that this recipe will stay with be forever!
I just made this, haven’t put it on anything yet, just prepping for the week. I tried a bit out just by itself and it was soooooo good I kept going back with the spoon! This isnt just a good replacement its a genuinely delicious cream by itself. Soooo yummy! I would say its a bit more similar to a Mexican crema than it is to say Daisy sour cream.
Sooooo delicious and to anyone skimming the comments to decide whether to make it or not, do it!
Thank you for letting me know how much you loved it, Neesy! I appreciate your review.
This “sour cream” is so delicious! I love it! A time-saving tip – cover the cashews with water in a pot, bring to a boil, turn off the heat and cover with a lid, let the cashews soak for 15 minutes. The cashews are nicely soaked and you don’t need to wait for 4 hours! My brother has dairy and egg allergies so this recipe is awesome!
Has anyone tried using this as a sour cream substitute in a casserole?
This is the best vegan sour cream I’ve tried! And so easy to make. Thank you!!
You’re welcome, Michelle! I’m glad you loved it.
How long would this keep? Could I freeze it? Also it’s amazing! Sooo delicious
Hi Lily! I haven’t tried freezing this one. See step 7 for storage!
Thank you Kate for this easy and delicious recipe! Will this do well if I froze leftovers of a double batch to use another time? Thanks!
Hi! I haven’t tried it. But, you could and likely need to re-mix well when it thaws.